Improvement in the manner of propelling boats by means of jets of water



NITED STATES PATENT THOMAS TV. REILEY, OF MCMINN COUNTY, TENNESSEE.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANNER 0F PROPELLING BOATS BY MEANS OF JETS 0F WATER.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 2,430, dated January 24,1842.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be itl known that I, THOMAS W. REILEY, of the county of McMinn, State ofTennessee, have invented a new and Improved Mode of PropellingSteamboats; and I doliereby declare that the following is a full andexact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification.

Figure l is a horizontal section through the boat, tubes, andwlieel-chainber. Fig. 2 is a cross-section ot' the tubes on the line c hof Fig. l, Fig. 3, front View of the wheel; Fig. 4, side view of thestuffing-box.

The same letters of reference are used in all the gures.

A represents the wheel-chamber; B, wheel; C, tube through which thewheel is connected with the motive power; D D, tubes connected with thechamber A and openingat the bow; D D', tubes connected with chamber Aand opening at the stern; E E, stuffingvboxes; It, screw-pivot on whichthe wheel turns; G, sliding valve.

In the interior of the boat I construct a circular chamber A, ofsufficient capacity to receive the propelling-wheel B. This chamber isso situated as that the shaft of the wheel shall be parallel with anddirectly over the keel of the boat. On each side ot' this chamber aretwo openings A A', Fig. 2, made concentric with the peripheryT ot thewheel, as wide as the paddles are long, so as to deliver the water ontoor from the wheel freely. These openings may be braced by iron bars aa', it' found necessary. Around each one of these openings is fitted atube of the saine i'orm and firmly secured to the tace-plate of thechamber by anges cast thereon in the usual inodeof connecting ironpipes. Two of these tubes D D extend from the front of the chamber tothe bow of the boat, and two D D"i'roin the rea'r ot' the chamber to thestern, where they enter stufiiug-boxes hereinai'ter described. l Thesetubes may be made in one or more pieces, as conven i ence requires. Atthe points where the tubes reach the bow and stern of the vessel theyenter stuflingboxes E, irinly fixed to the holes in the vessel, throughwhich the water passes, and so constructed as to admit of a tight.packing around the tubes, and at the saine time allow tlienl free actionfor lengthening and contracting by any change of temperature withoutstraining the vessel or admitting a leakage at the joint. Thesestuffing-boxes have a tube cast with them, which passes through the sideof the vessel, in which there is a slide-valve G', tightly packed, thatcan be closed, thus shutting ott all communication with the exterior,while the water inside can be pumped out and the wheel repaired when thevessel is afloat. These tubes can also be used, by discharging the waterin them, as buoys to sustain the vessel should it receive any injury tocause it to leak.

The wheel B is made with spiral paddles in any of the usual forms ofsuch wheels, the center or hub being of a conical form with the basetoward the bow of the boat. The journals turn in bearings of the usualconstruction. There is a cap H over the end ot the shaft next the bowiitted water-tight. Through this cap, opposite the end of the shaft,there is a screw F, past which enters a concavity on the end ot thejournal and sustains the lateral pressure ot' the wheel The shaft isinclosed at the other end by a pipe O, which has an enlargementsutiicient to hold the bevel-gearing, which moves the wheel. Onto thispipe is screwed another O in anupright position, which surrounds avertical shaft attached to the motive power. This pipe extends up abovethe water-line, so that the water that leaks in at the journals can haveno communication with the boat. It will thus be seen that I obviate thenecessity of packing round the journals and save the friction causedthereby.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-' l. The combination of a chamber formed within the body of the boat,in which a wheel with spiral vanes revolves at right angles to itsprogression, with tubes opening into it troni the bow and stern,constructed as herein described.

2. The employment of the stuing-boxes E to admit of the expansion andcontraction of the tubes D and D', in the manner above described.

3. The employment 01": cut-oit valves in the end tubes beyond thestuffing-boxes, as herein described, so that the water can be shut oftfor the purpose of repairing the tubes, wheel, &c., and by ineans ofwhich the tubes can be used as buoys.

THOS. W. REILEY. Witnesses:

WM. GREENOUGH, J. J. GREENOUGH.

